These days, I find myself leaning more and more towards natural, Ayurveda-inspired products, especially for my hair care. Recently, I was sent some products from the newly launched luxury Ayurveda brand from Shesha Beauty – Ashtapathy – which has collection of coconut-oil based soaps and shampoos. I have been using them since over a month and here’s my review on them.
About Shesha Beauty Ashtapathy Soaps and Shampoos
“Harnessing tried and tested Ayurvedic beauty secrets is Ashtapathy. Ashtapathy Herbals is a herbal bath and body care brand from Kerala. In today’s times when purity in products is a rarity, Ashtapathy captures Ayurveda in its purest form and brings the same to you in the subtle way. Focused on rediscovering Ayurveda and traditional beauty care which you wouldn’t have seen or felt before . All of the products are made from pure coconut oil and 100% natural herbs with process rooted in tradition.”
All the products mentioned here are available on the website sheshabeauty.com where all the ingredients are explained in detail as well.
Ashtapathy Ayurvedic Soaps
The Ashtapathy Ayurvedic soaps come in beautiful duo-chrome outer cartons and the soap is wrapped in cling film inside. There are three variants of the soap available – Devathali Leaf Soap, Olive Soap and Mud Soap. All the information, including the ingredients are mentioned on the rear of the carton.
Ashtapathy Devathali Leaf Soap
Price: ₹70 / 100gm
“A refreshing soap with the nourishing goodness of Betel leaves, keeps your hair free from impurities while maintaining and balancing hair moisture. Being a natural cleanser, it removes dandruff, treats split ends and makes hair shiny and healthy. Also enriches your skin making it smooth, clear and well-moisturised.”
This is a very convenient head-to-toe soap and great for active kids who come back from play sweaty and dirty. This soap helps in removing all the dirt and grime that gets accumulated in their hair while they play football in muddy playgrounds. It has a very herbal /ayurvedic fragrance reminding me of Chandrika soap that my granny used to use and while the boys don’t really like the smell too much, they have got used to it.
Ingredients:
Coconut oil, Aloe Vera, Nigella Sativa (black cumin), Ocimum Sanctum (tulsi), Eclipta Alba (bhringaraj), Terminalia Chebula (haritaki), Emblica Officinalis (amla), Piper Betle (betel leaf), Terminalia Bellerica (bhibhitaki), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Sodium Hydroxide (lye), Perfume, Citrus Lemon.
Ashtapathy Olive Soap
“Olive oil has been the beauty secret of lovely women across the globe. It is one of the most natural ways of rejuvenating skin health. The soap is enriched with olive oil and coconut milk for smooth skin. Removing dryness, it keeps the skin radiant throughout the day.”
The Ashtapathy Olive Soap is one that I have used the max. These soaps are pretty long lasting and don’t melt as easily as normal soaps do. It has been years since I used soaps since I only use shower gels and despite the claims, I do find this one slightly drying. Nevertheless, it is great for washing the face and I have noticed that it removes light makeup pretty well (not eye makeup though). I also use this soap for cleaning my makeup sponge and find it more effective than any other liquid cleanser / face wash etc that I have used.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil, Coconut oil, Aloe Vera, Nigella Sativa (black cumin), Ocimum Sanctum (tulsi), Azadirachta Indica (neem), Jasminum Officinale (jasmine), Punica Granatum (pomegranate), Cassia Fistula (amaltas), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Cedrus Deodara (deodar cedar), Capparis Zeylanica (aradanda), Sodium Hydroxide, Perfume, Citrus Lemon.
Ashtapathy Mud Soap
“For centuries, “Multani Mitti” or “Fuller’s Earth” has been trusted for skincare.It is a natural cleansing agent that absorbs and removes toxins from the body. This Mud Soap tackles excess oil, acne, blocked pores and hyper pigmentation resulting in brighter and more glowing skin. “
I found the Mud Soap to be the most drying among all three, but that isn’t surprising since it has Multani Mitti in it. I have kept it only for washing my face when I feel a bump / pimple coming up or on the days when I’ve been out and feel like my skin has the pollution of all of Bombay on it. It is very effective at deep cleansing the skin and even at removing light makeup. Washing my face with this makes it feel C-L-E-A-N!
Ashtapathy Devathali Shampoo and Ashtapathy Mud Shampoo
Price ₹125 / 100ml
“The Ashtapathy Devathali Shampoo is a gentle herbal cleanser enriched with the natural goodness of Hibiscus, Shikakai and Henna. Adding volume to your hair, it effectively tackles problems like premature greying, split ends, dandruff, dryness and hair damage. It is an excellent conditioner that protects hair from daily damage.”
I’m nearing the end of this tube of shampoo. Ever since I have received this, I have only shampooed my hair with it. It has a very natural, herbal fragrance that is of course, very different from the fragrance of other chemical shampoos and takes a bit of getting used to. It reminds me of the shikakai soap that we used to get earlier. This shampoo removes hair oil more easily than other shampoos but also tends to tangle the hair a bit more. I prefer to let my hair air dry and once dry, the texture of the hair feels very nice. My scalp had also become very sensitive recently but this shampoo soothes my scalp. Perhaps it is just this shampoo, or perhaps it is the combination of henna and this shampoo that has made my hair and scalp healthier. Reducing the number of chemicals I use has really made a difference.
Ingredients:
Aloe Vera, Piper Betle (Betel leaf), Ocimum Sanctum (tulsi), Eclipta Alba (bhringaraj), Terminalia Chebula (haritaki), Emblica Officinalis (amla), Piper Betle (betel leaf), Terminalia Bellerica (bhibhitaki), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Shikakai, Henna (added natural base and fragrance).
“The Ashtapathy Mud Shampoo is created with the tried and tested goodness of Multani Mitti making it a natural cleanser that strengthens hair and enhances growth bringing about a natural shine with luster. It tackles and removes excessive oil and toxins from the scalp.”
As with the Mud Soap the Mud Shampoo too, felt a bit drying on my already dry scalp and hair. I have kept this shampoo exclusively for my post-henna wash for removing all the residue of the henna and indigo from my scalp and hair. This makes a very good shampoo for those who have oily scalp and hair that tends to get greasy very quickly and for those prone to dandruff.
My Views
Switching from natural products to chemical ones is always easier because of the perceived efficacy of those products. However, switching back to natural products is a bit difficult because we feel like our hair / skin is becoming drier. This is just a temporary feeling because we have become so used to the “slick smoothness” of silicone-based products. However, in the long run, it is the natural formulations that are more effective. While I haven’t stopped using body washes completely, I have started using soap more frequently when I shower. And as for shampoo, I am sticking to these natural, Ayurvedic ones now.
What’s your take on natural, Ayurvedic products?